Note #1…I do not use IEM’s (In Ear Monitors) so one has to know whether or not their particular IEM’s match with the 3 Ohm Output Impedance of the AK120.

Note #2…You will notice that the AK120 was not modified (for lower output impedance) as I did with the AK100. The reason I chose not to modify is because I wanted to use a stock AK120 player…so others could hear what I was hearing if they so choose.

Disclaimer: As you know this site is not here to sell anyone anything, so I must disclose that the Pono Player was given to me, as I was an early stage beta tester. I did not know I was going to be asked to be a beta tester nor did I know that we would be able to keep the player after testing was completed. More on that another time…I will say that whatever you have read, the people behind Pono are well intentioned. They created a damn good DAP…all criticisms aside, they really were and are (in the end) just trying to move Hirez forward. This is a win for all. The Pono Player will not be a main feature in reviews…I just wanted to let people know my source DAP’s for info.

As Far as the other DAP’s:

Some quick thoughts that might be helpful. I never use the bundled software with the DAP units. You want headaches…then use the software. I simply use the DAP’s as default external drives, when plugged into the computer, just drag and drop my music files / folders into the onboard flash or memory cards. I fill the memory cards by using the adaptor that comes with the cards and do the heavy transferring of music files via the memory card slot on the computer.

Another helpful hint, with the exception of the Pono Player which automatically scans my it’s memory at startup, I never ever ever scan my AK120 DAP…there is no need for me to do so. I turn automatic scanning off on the AK120 and just remember where I put the files. I just organize the folders in a way that makes it pretty simple to navigate. On occasion it will take a minute or two to find something but it’s not a burden.

I don’t listen the way most people do…I do not use playlists, I tag my own files with mp3 Tag freeware, I listen to full albums (except for maybe electronic). Every time I listen to an album I try to listen for something I never heard before, and every time…no matter how many listens, it presents itself. I’m not trying to tell anyone how to listen to their music but I see people giving excellent DAP’s a bad review because the software was buggy, or they fill their memory cards with hundreds of GB of music while in the DAPs’ expansion slots. Sometimes the GUI in the player itself is a little glitchy, but never miserable unless you’re expecting iPhone fast.

I Have had the AK120 for 2 years now and I use it daily with no battery issues…recharge is slow, just plug in at night and it’s ready to go the next morning. I do not use the DAP’s continuously all day, I switch between the phone to DAP’s throughout the day and they just work. A little clunky but sounds damn good enough to make up for any shortfalls.

Next Up Reviews…

If there’s anything I forgot I will add to the update section below this sentence.

Update:

As of today 02/23/17 No Updates At This Time.
Thanks For Reading & All Your Endless Support!

Love You Lots! Stay Well, Be Kind & Bless.

Tak Tak, Bless!

Grazie, Ciao!

Obrigadx, Tchau! Adeus!

Gracias, Adios!

Danke, Tchuss!

Merci, Au revoir!

Dank je…Bedankt, Alstublieft!

Merci Vilmal, Adeau!

Gracies, Adieu!

Gracies, Adeu!

CM ☕

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Please do not reproduce this article either all or in part without the expressed written permission of the (nutty) author who can be reached via the “Contact” section in the header menu. You may link to the article if you wish, all that we ask is that you give credit to the respective author…”Christmachine” wherever you post a link. Thank you.

Please do not reproduce this article either all or in part without the expressed written permission of the author who can be reached via the “Contact” section in the header menu. You may link to the article if you wish, all that we ask is that you give credit to the respective author…”Christmachine” wherever you post a link. Thank you.

This is an educational website only…providing knowledge to those seeking information and artistic criticism in their journey for a more thorough understanding of contemporary media technology and guerrilla journalism.

To help others to navigate the tedious, and sometimes difficult to understand world of Analog to Digital / Digital to Digital Recordings and Transfers or “Rips”.

It’s all about the “Art Of Mastering” and “Source Material”. As you know the sound is only as good as it’s source, thus “Garbage in Garbage Out”.

As of today we have a large “Reference Quality Recordings” catalog (Flat Analog Transfers to Digital) sourced from Vinyl Rips from around the world. Our goal is to pressure the Rec*ording industry to move toward creating a “Reference Quality Digital Recordings Catalog” (Direct Flat Transfers from Original Analog Master Tapes to Digital). There are a few movements that are positively affecting change toward this goal, but the quality of Hi-Res Digital transfers is still extremely selective and spotty.

What is considered the “Best” of any recording is subjective…for example someone may love an official Hi-Res Digital Recording and that is fine, they might find the clarity and detail from such a recording is “The Best they have ever heard”. Whereas another trained ear who has heard many available recordings in different resolutions and formats of the recording in question might find it sterile, clinical, cold and lacking in many ways, as well as the sound being “different” from what the artists in the studio originally intended for the listener to hear. Re-masters and Re-mixes “usually” are not a good thing as people have been led to believe.

It should be stressed that every recording must be taken and analyzed on it’s own merit. Each release must be scrutinized on it’s own, without any bias that has been realized from any other recording. This sounds simple and obvious, but in critical listening, each individual album must be approached in this manner.

Lineage / Provenance of a recording should be the industry standard and it is not. Why are they hiding this information, we think it to be a combination of lack of care as well as the desire to keep the purchasing public in the dark so that they can continue to resell, over and over “Improved Quality Recordings”. This, not providing Lineage / Provenance of a recording is unacceptable.

The main goal of this site over all others is to provide content from all genres of music with no prejudice toward another. Good music is good music, and opening peoples minds to new sounds is extremely relevant here. This obviously does not mean “forced to listen”…this site will cover music you will like and not like. If you do not like something don’t listen and move on to something you do like. It’s sad that some people just give up if they are into Electronic Music and I post something that is Pop or Metal. I don’t mean to pick on Electronic music it is an example, Metal Heads or any other genres fans can give up if I post Jazz or Leftfield. Live a little!

Thanks for reading…you may want to check the “About” page on occasion, as I have said it is constantly evolving.

Again thank you for all your support…let’s enjoy the music!

Cheers and Bless Bless!

CM ☕

☠

Please do not reproduce this article either all or in part without the expressed written permission of the author who can be reached via the “Contact” section in the header menu. You may link to the article if you wish, all that we ask is that you give credit to the respective author…”Christmachine” wherever you post a link. Thank you.